In a conventional LD-excitation solid-state laser device, a light condenser for confining the excitation light to the vicinity of the solid-state laser medium, and a flow tube for water-cooling the solid-state laser medium have been directly attached to side plates for supporting the excitation unit. In addition, cooling systems for the LDs and for the solid-state laser medium have been independent, and cooling water only for the solid-state laser medium has been supplied and discharged through the side plates (see Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 277837/2000 (FIG. 4)
Because the conventional LD-excitation solid-state laser device has been configured so that the light condenser for confining excitation light to the vicinity of the solid-state laser medium, and the flow tube for water-cooling the solid-state laser medium are directly attached to the side plates for supporting the excitation unit, there has been a problem in that it is difficult to assemble the excitation unit accurately and easily.
Moreover, cooling-water piping systems for cooling the LDs that are excitation light sources and for cooling the solid-state laser medium are independent. The cooling water for the solid-state laser medium is supplied and discharged through the side plates that support the excitation units, while in order to cool the LDs, independent piping must be provided to supply and discharge cooling water. Therefore, there has been a problem in that the conventional LD-excitation solid-state laser device requires piping components in accordance with the plurality of cooling systems, and consequently the number of components and assembly man-hours increase.
Furthermore, there has been another problem in that piping units for supplying cooling water lead to water leakage, and to decline in the reliability of the LD-excitation solid-state laser device.